


Half Note

by TwistedWizards



Category: Wizards of Waverly Place
Genre: Alex Russo - Freeform, Art, Brother-Sister Relationships, Condoms, Cursive, Dating, F/M, Falling In Love, Feelings, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Handwriting, Incest, Justin Russo - Freeform, Kissing, Love, Masturbation, Masturbation in Shower, Music, One Shot, Porn with Feelings, Sex, Sharing a Bed, Siblings, Smut, Tattoo, Vaginal Sex, angsty, long fic, music note, skinny love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:07:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27115157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedWizards/pseuds/TwistedWizards
Summary: “You’re not wrong, Justin,” Alex whispered, her voice heavy. “It isn’t just a music note.”Justin craved her touch, her smile, her laugh…  Alex was everything he wanted. He’d dreamed of a moment similar to this, but never even considered it actually happening.
Relationships: Alex Russo/Justin Russo
Comments: 5
Kudos: 73





	Half Note

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to a new Jalex one-shot! 
> 
> This idea bothered me for weeks, and I’m pleased to be sharing the final product with you all. The story is Justin-centric and rated E for a reason.
> 
> I would first like take a moment to thank my beta reader idealistic.imaginings for taking her time to help. Thank you for all your hard work and time! Please show her stories some love! They’re amazing! 💜
> 
> Warnings: Smut, Incest, Mild Angst
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own WOWP, nor the lyrics quoted in the beginning.
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy!

**_Half Note_**

_“I’m standing here until you make me move, I’m hanging by a moment here with you…” - Hanging By a Moment, Lifehouse_

_July 2012_

Justin inhaled deeply as they stood in her dimly lit studio. He wasn’t quite sure how he hadn’t seen it before. Now it was the only thing he could. 

“You’re not wrong, Justin,” Alex whispered, her voice heavy. “It isn’t _just_ a music note.”

Using his right hand, he gently guided her wrist towards him. Alex remained still while he lifted his fingers to trace the design. The sound of their breathing punctured the silence. Her eyes searching for his as she parted her lips ever so slightly.

 _Fuck_ , he thought and slightly shook his head. Justin craved her touch, her smile, her laugh… she was everything he wanted. 

He’d dreamed of a moment similar to this, but never even considered it actually happening.

Without looking away from her gaze, he brought her wrist upwards. Pressing his lips against the painted script on her skin, he sighed and savored the way she shivered.

* * *

_  
August 2009_

Falling in love and finding the person he was meant to spend his life with was always part of Justin’s plan. And until two months ago, he had pictured his life to be relatively normal. Well, as normal as a wizard’s life could be.

What he hadn’t planned for was everything that happened during the Russo family trip to Puerto Rico. Starting with his mother forcing Alex to attend the trip as if it were a punishment. At the time, he’d voiced his concerns and mentioned it wasn’t a good idea. Especially if she didn’t want to go. Not that anyone listened to him.

Justin exhaled as he tried to calmly sort through his thoughts. However, it was three in the morning, and he couldn’t focus. Normally he would’ve been asleep, but lately sleep was the last thing on his mind. 

He splashed cold water on his face in the upstairs bathroom. Turning off the water, he pursed his lips and rubbed his face. The wave of nausea ebbed in his gut as he took a slow, deep breath. 

_It’s just lack of sleep,_ Justin thought while chewing on the inside of his cheek. _It doesn’t mean anything._

Opening his eyes, he looked in the mirror with a sigh. His hair was slightly overgrown and disheveled from his restless attempt at sleeping. Water droplets trailed down his face as he attempted to swallow the tight feeling in his throat.

He couldn’t stop replaying moments in his head from the Island. Snapshots of specific memories from the trip had now taken up permanent residence in his mind. Some he wanted to forget- _no_ . He can’t use that word… bury. Yes. He wanted to _bury_ those memories while he attempted to sort through the ones that haunted him in a different capacity. Those thoughts were the real reason he was awake.

Placing the palms of his hands flat against the counter, he shook his head. The memory of that night was still fresh in his mind, as if it were yesterday. Even now, he could still remember how he felt at the campfire. Where Alex and him sat under the humid blanket of night deep within the rainforest. 

When she looked at him, he instantly felt like the air was no longer his to breathe. He couldn’t help but stare as she thanked him. There was an unmistakable glint of vulnerability and trust in her expression. Until that moment, he never realized just how beautiful she was. 

After he murmured you’re welcome, his eyes flickered down to her parted lips. For a second, he allowed the prospect of who she was to slip his mind. Justin started to lean towards her, fully intending to kiss her. Then realization hit him and he quickly looked away. 

He could still recall the feeling of his cheeks burning and the cold sweat of guilt on his neck. There had been a rushing tightness in his stomach followed by the word _sister_ in his mind.

It was a combination of the word and the feeling together that haunted him. Which he gladly brushed off as exhaustion, pretending it hadn’t even happened. However, when they returned home, the frequency only increased. So he did what he knew best: research. 

There had to be some kind of logical explanation for all of this. So he made notes when he experienced the feeling and the contributing factors. It happened at random times. When he was at school, watching TV, doing homework, eating dinner, practicing magic, and even during the middle of the night after waking up from a dream. 

Then he found the common denominator that was always involved. 

It was Alex. She was never far from his thoughts. Everywhere he looked, she was there. 

Even now Justin still recognized the bubbling heat inside him. It felt like a pronounced tightness centered in his abdomen while his heart raced. Until tonight, he hadn’t been able to truly identify what the feeling was. 

It wasn’t even a grand revelation for him either. It was an infinitesimal moment between the two of them. He was reading a book, sitting beside her on the couch. Justin looked at her as she made fun of the show on the TV, and he smiled. After a moment of watching her, the feeling made its routine appearance, and he realized. There was no mistaking his feelings for her anymore.

Shaking off the recent memory, he felt sick to his stomach. The word sister left an acidic taste in his mouth. There was no justifiable reason for his feelings. He doubted there ever would be. In retrospect, he knew he’d always had a special category for Alex in his mind. It just wasn’t until tonight that he realized the distinction of loving her and being _in love_ with her. 

That feeling returned again as he moved his hands to the edge of the counter to support his weight. Instantly he felt his eyes begin to burn. 

_Disgusting_ … _Fucked up…. Taboo… Incest…_ **_Sister_ ** _…_

He knew these thoughts resulted from sleep deprivation. However, that didn’t lessen the truth behind them. They threatened the contents in his stomach. 

Shaking his head again, he pushed off of the counter and yanked open the door. He needed to stop thinking. Turning off the light, he stepped into the hallway and froze when her door opened across the hall. 

He held his breath and listened to the soft padding sound of her feet against the carpet. She gasped sharply and abruptly stepped back into the wall. 

“ _Shit_ ,” she hissed softly while clutching her chest. “ _Seriously_ Justin. Why are you standing in the dark?” 

Hoping she couldn’t see his expression, he cleared his throat. Rubbing the back of his neck, he pointed behind him. 

“Bathroom.” He pursed his lips, and she tilted her head. “And you shouldn’t curse, Alex”

He was thankful there hadn’t been more light in the hallway. He knew she would be narrowing her eyes suspiciously if there had been. 

“Whatever,” she mumbled and lowered her hand from her chest. “You’re the one lerking in the dark. So me cursing is really your fault.” 

“Good night,” he walked to his room as he ignored the lingering feeling. 

Without another word, he shut his door, refusing to look at her.

* * *

_April 2010_

Justin tried to focus on his hobbies and self-improvement. He thought that over time he’d be able to overcome these feelings. Yet here he was months later and they still remained. 

He did have them neatly tucked away and hidden. Well, until they decided on their own accord to spill over the edge in small ways. A lingering glance, stepping into her space, a brushing touch, and even prolonged eye contact. He found himself looking for any opportunity to touch her.

The only difference between a few months ago and now was the fact that it was easier to navigate his feelings. Initially, he thought his feelings for Alex resulted from the traumatic experience they’d gone through together. But he knew the truth. 

Justin twirled a pen between his fingers while he stared at a blank bit of parchment in front of him. Normally he would have already tackled the task without hesitation. However, between his thoughts about _her_ and the stress from his classes, he’d allowed himself to overthink his approach. He was known to do this from time to time. 

Though _someone_ would argue it was a regular occurrence for him.

Frustration thrummed in his fingers as he bounced the pen, then harshly exhaled. It wasn’t the mechanics of writing that had him at a loss. It was the fact that the teacher in his English class suggested he practice his penmanship. Not that his handwriting was bad, it just ‘has room for improvement’.

 _It’s just writing in cursive… It’s not like it’s equivalent to memorizing the process of Cellular Respiration._ Justin dropped his pen onto the coffee table at the thought. 

“No, it’s not. Because if you were memorizing facts, then you’d know where to start.” Justin muttered to himself and leaned back into the living room couch. 

After a moment of staring at the paper, Justin leaned forward and picked up his pen. With a slight hesitation, he placed the tip of the pen on the first line by the left margin. Then he relaxed his wrist and allowed the pen to sway in a familiar motion. 

_Justin Russo_

The letters were pointed and the ink was dark. He could see little imperfections as he lifted his pen with a sigh. 

_Maybe it was time to find a book about the art of handwriting_ , he sighed.

It was the hum of the microwave followed by three specific _beeps_ that pulled him from his thoughts. Tossing a look towards the kitchen, he saw her with a bowl of popcorn. That was when he met her eyes, and for just a moment he held his breath. It was the way she looked at him that caused him to pause. 

Her loose curls were pulled into a ponytail draped across her right shoulder. Even from his distance he could see her lips were parted. Instantly he was reminded of being in the Puerto Rican rainforest with her. Sometimes he felt guilty when his mind visited that particular moment. Other times he allowed himself to bask in its memory. 

She leaned against the island before popping a single piece of popcorn into her mouth. The action made him realize he was staring, and he immediately looked away. _That_ was definitely a lingering glance.

 _Focus,_ he thought as he looked back at his name. 

Without looking, he heard her clear her throat, followed by the sound of her footsteps. He shifted in his spot and felt the cushion dip in the spot next to him.

“Now I get it.” Her voice broke the silence, and he turned his head. 

Justin noticed the crook of her brow and gleam in her eyes. He personally wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the source of her amusement. 

“Watching you struggle is pretty entertaining.” She grinned, and he rolled his eyes.

“I don’t have time to talk right now, Alex.” He didn’t mean for his words to sound so terse.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I interrupt your precious time with your _homework_?” She rolled her eyes and tossed more popcorn into her mouth. 

Justin could smell the faint sweet scent of her perfume while she sat beside him. It smelled of vanilla and a hint of caramel. He wondered why she no longer wore floral scents like she used to. Not that he was complaining.

He shook his head. He needed to focus on his penmanship… not her.

“What? No lame comeback about me finally understanding something?” She laughed a little and set the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. 

“No… And it’s not homework.” He exhaled and tossed the pen onto the table in front of him, _again_. 

“Then what? Did you decide to get a penpal or something?” She laughed, and he narrowed his eyes. “Because I’m pretty sure you could be using something called the internet.” 

“No, I didn’t get a _penpal_.” He rolled his eyes and leaned back. “My English teacher suggested I practice my handwriting in order to improve my penmanship before college. More specifically, cursive.”

“Ah, cursive. Harper likes to say it’s like the letters are holding hands.” She nodded while momentarily hooking two of her fingers together. 

Justin looked away, trying to hide a small tug at the corner of his mouth. Even though he found her demonstration rather adorable, he couldn’t let her know that.

After a moment, he sunk into the couch just before she reached for the bit of parchment with his name on it. He attempted to read her expression as she examined his writing. With a slight rustling sound of paper, she looked at him then handed him the paper. 

“Show me how you write.” She said as he furrowed his brows. 

“Uhm… Why?” He sat up and took the paper from her. 

“Because _dork_ , how you hold the pen and where you apply pressure matters,” she said and scooted closer to him. 

Justin inhaled slowly, looking away from her as he set the paper down on the table. Mentally he made a note about how it felt to have the side of her thigh pressing against his. 

“I know _that_.” He mumbled and grabbed the pen. 

Justin quickly wrote his name again while trying to forget how closely she was watching him. The scent of her perfume played at his nose, putting him on edge. When he was done she quickly reached across him and stole his pen. For a split second her fingers touched his skin, and he relaxed his hold. 

It had been a while since he’d felt this way around her. Probably over a month. Normally he would have been able to redirect his thoughts, but there was something different about her today. He wanted to feel her hand in his. He wanted to hold her in his arms and feel her lips against- _no_. He couldn’t allow himself to think about that.

He refused to look at her with his face this warm. Today was definitely harder than usual. Maybe it was because it had been a while since she went this long without brushing him off or teasing him.

Over time, he’d grown accustom to pushing those thoughts away as quickly as they came. This time was no different. 

Justin watched the sway of the pen and noticed her delicate hold. The letters curled at the right places, blending seamlessly into the other. He tried to focus on the pen scratching against the paper, but feeling her pressing into his side made this difficult. 

The way she wrote his name was delicate. Starting with the letter J. The beginning started in a curl that followed the top of the letter and trailed down. Then at the base of the letter it curved out to the left before crossing the letter upwards.

_Justin Russo_

“There… _see_. It helps to be aware of the pressure you apply.” She lifted the pen then rested her arm on top of his thigh. “Kind of like painting.”

Justin remained still as he looked at her arm resting on his leg before she turned towards him. Their eyes met, and he swallowed. There was something in her features he couldn’t read. Briefly he looked down at her lips and found himself lost in her softening expression. In that second everything around him seemed hazy, but her. 

Then he remembered where he was and who he was with, so he looked away. 

As quickly as she entered his space, she left it. Her warmth was gone while her perfume lingered. He hoped that she hadn’t pulled away because of him. 

“Think of it this way. It’s like when you paint your little dolls-” he shot her a pointed look as she rolled her eyes, “Er, _action figures_ … my bad.”

“That’s the thing, Alex. It's not the same as painting small details.” He sighed and attempted to brush off the moment they had. “Also, when painting they’re considered figurines.” 

She rolled her eyes at his correction. There hadn’t even been a hiccup in their conversation. It was as if the look they shared was normal, but he knew different. He couldn’t help but wonder if she’d felt it too. 

“ _Justin_ , you’re overthinking it.” She groaned and tilted her head to the right. “Look at how the ink is lighter on the actual letter and darkens at its base?”

Her response confused him. She was actually putting in effort with nothing to gain. It felt... different.

“Why are you trying to help me?” he asked out loud without meaning to. 

“ _Mmm,_ no not helping you,” she scoffed and avoided his gaze. “Really, I’m helping _me_. Because seeing you all ‘stressed’ isn’t working for me anymore.”

“Right,” he sighed, trying to ignore her pity attempt at being nice to him. “Look, I’ll just find a book on penmanship. It’ll be easier on both of us.”

Justin turned his attention towards her, only to find her already looking at him. There was a brief moment that he could’ve sworn she was upset while she chewed upon the left corner of her bottom lip. 

“Fine.” She relaxed and pursed her lips. 

“Fine,” he repeated and scrunched his brows. 

“Less work for me anyway,” she nodded and shrugged.

Justin searched for her eyes while a weight tugged at his shoulders. He wanted to apologize, but couldn’t understand why she was upset. The only reason he suggested the book was for her benefit. She _hated_ doing work. 

It was the way she shrugged and stood up that made him feel heavy. She grabbed the bowl of popcorn and walked around the couch out of his view. A different kind of guilt set in as he leaned back into the couch.

“For the record, _Justin_ ,” her voice was lower in pitch, and he refused to look at her. “I hated seeing you upset like that. But it looks like you already know your solution.” 

Then he listened to the parting sound of her footsteps while he looked at the paper with his name on it. Quickly he snatched the paper and crumpled it in frustration. But the way she wrote his name remained burned into his mind.   
  


* * *

_September 2011_

Justin no longer enjoyed the quiet like he used to. He also didn’t like the fact that since Alex moved out, she kept coming up with excuses to not see him. When he accidentally told her that she made his life complete, he was surprised that she remained so distant. He wished he understood why she was avoiding him.

 _Probably because you told her_ **_that_** , he thought and continued to type his paper for his Comparative Literature class.

Suddenly the front door flew open, and he peered across the room. He saw Alex shutting the door behind her with a groan. 

“Did you forget you don’t live here anymore?” He lifted an eyebrow and she in turn glared. “Or did you realize living on your own is harder than it sounded?”

“Neither.” She made her way towards him in the kitchen. “Harper and I got into a fight about me painting. Saying I wasn’t being fair or sharing the apartment space better.” 

“Hmm, sounds like you.” He nodded his head realizing he hadn’t touched a single key since she walked in. “Remember the doll house?”

“ _Of course_ , I remember the doll house,” she huffed, “It’s not like I’m taking up that much room. I just want to have a space to paint.” 

“Have you looked into renting a space?” He crossed his arms and she laughed.

“I find it amusing that you think I have money for that,” she said with a grin and walked past him towards the fridge. 

Justin watched her closely as she reached up and grabbed the handle. That’s when he saw it. A black mark on her left wrist. At his distance he couldn’t make out what it was, so he stood up. 

“What is that?” he asked as she shut the fridge door. 

Quickly she hid her hand behind her back as her eyes widened. It proved his theory that he’d seen something he wasn’t supposed to have noticed.

“I don’t-“ she started to say something but Justin wasn’t having it. 

She pressed her back into the fridge, and he stepped into her space. He grabbed her left forearm and pulled her hand free. There on her wrist was a black tattoo. He couldn’t place where he’d see the design before. It curled outwards before trailing across and down. The bottom swooped and then crossed the middle line. It looked like a delicate piece of art and sort of like one of those infinity symbols. Just unfinished. 

“ _This_ , Alex,” he spoke, looking directly into her eyes as he held her wrist in his hand. 

She pursed her lips while looking up at him. “A tattoo?” 

“I can see that,” he huffed, “Mom’s gonna be upset and dad’s gonna do that thing he does when he’s mad. You know when he can’t actually say what he’s mad about before he manages to say your name.” 

“While that may be true-” she rolled her eyes, “-they can’t _do_ anything. I don’t live here anymore.”

The tattoo looked familiar. He looked at the mark on her skin and felt a gnawing feeling. 

“Does it at least have some kind of meaning?” he asked.

“ _Uh_ , it’s personal,” she said quickly and he looked at her. 

“Personal?” he repeated. 

“Yes, _Justin_. That’s what I said,” she scoffed and tried to pull her hand free.

Justin tightened his grip in order to stop her as he stared back at the tattoo. He could tell that she was hiding something. 

“You know, you may not live here anymore, _but_ they can still get mad and stop you from eating their food,” Justin said, lifting a brow. “So you can either tell me _or_ I can share this little tidbit with them.” 

Right on cue she shot him a glare. The ultimatum wasn't fair, but he couldn’t help the nagging feeling he got from looking at the design. There was something about it that he couldn’t place. That was when he realized how close they were standing. Everything inside him shouted to step away from her, but he couldn’t. 

“ _Fine_ ,” she shrugged and lifted her free pointer finger. “It’s a half note. Something you should know from playing guitar.”

She traced the loop which was closest to her, and he relaxed.

“See this head of the note,” she paused, and trailed her finger down the middle line. “This right here is the stem, which connects to the flag crossing over the note here.” 

Justin furrowed his brows as he stared at the tattoo. “A half note doesn’t have a flag, Alex.” 

“Psh _,_ I know that. It’s part of the meaning _Justin_ ,” she sighed and her eyes seemed focused on her wrist. “It’s supposed to represent me. I’m the half note, and the flag represents me being only half.”

“I still think it was a bad idea. And that they’re going to find out eventually,” he nodded, and she seemed to stiffen under his touch. 

Justin took the opportunity to look down and brush his thumb against the tattoo. In turn, he heard her inhale softly. Turning his attention back towards her, he paused his gaze. That was when he could have sworn he saw her eyes flicker downward toward his mouth. But he blinked and it was as if she hadn’t looked away from his eyes. 

Clearing his throat and dropping her hand, he stepped backwards into the island. She looked away and brushed the hair from her face. 

“Right, well I’m gonna go,” she said and there was a tone in her voice that meant she had something on her mind. 

“Aren’t you and Harper fighting?” he asked, not wanting her to leave. “You don’t have to go.”

“Well yeah-“ she started to talk, “But I can’t stay. I uh, have a... thing.” 

He looked at her as she bent over to pull her wand out of her boot. 

“A thing?” he repeated and lifted a brow. 

“Mhm…” she pursed her lips and nodded. “A date.” 

The word hit differently, and he felt tense as he mustered a singular word. “Oh.”

“Yeah, so I’ve got to go.” She shifted without looking at him. “But good luck on the whole homework thing.”

Clearing his throat he looked away from her and nodded. “Yeah, you too.” 

Then she waved her wand leaving him to his thoughts. He felt a sharp tightness in his chest. He looked at his laptop then abruptly shut it, huffing loudly. He had no right to feel the way he did when she said the word date. But he felt it anyway. 

Closing his eyes, Justin momentarily pressed his hand to his mouth. He slumped against the island and sunk to the floor of the kitchen. God, he wished more than anything that he was the one she was getting ready to spend time with. That he could be the one to hold her without worry or the gnawing guilt. Even if it was only for a short amount of time.

His eyes burned as he inhaled shakily. Looking down, he threaded his fingers together resting them on his knees. It was almost as if he could still feel her wrist in his hand and how her skin felt under his thumb.   
  


* * *

_  
November 2011_

Justin fidgeted with his wand, then knocked softly on the door before him. Even if she was avoiding him, this couldn’t wait. It had to be tonight. There was a shuffling sound as he pocketed his wand. When the door opened he was met with a sleepy Alex wearing sweats and a purple tank top. 

“Justin?” her voice was groggy and confused. 

“Hey Alex,” he whispered and gave her a small lopsided smile.

“What’re you doing? It’s past midnight.” She opened the door to her apartment as he walked inside. 

“I know, but this couldn’t wait.” He looked at her as she shut the door. 

“ _Really?_ It couldn’t wait until I went home tomorrow?” she mumbled and crossed her arms. 

Justin shook his head and looked around the room to see Harper’s bed still made. Confused by this, he looked back at her to see her roll her eyes. 

“She’s at her parents for the night,” Alex said with a yawn. “Now that you’re here, are you gonna tell me what couldn’t wait?” 

“Uhm, no. But I wanna show you,” he smiled softly and looked at her, “It’s chilly outside, so you’ll need a jacket.”

Even in the dimly lit apartment he could see her rolling her eyes followed by a soft lift in the corner of her mouth. She walked over to her bed and picked up a black jacket and shoved her feet into some boots. 

“Fine, but this better be good. You know how I get when I don’t sleep.” She turned to him as he pulled his wand out of his pocket. 

“Believe me Alex, I know.” He extended his hand towards her in the dark.

He sighed at the feeling of her hand slipping into his. Then he twirled his wand, and they left her apartment. 

Instantly they were met with the freezing air and the soft buzz of the city. He felt her shiver and step closer to him as he slipped his wand into his pocket. Surveying their surroundings of the roof they were on, he found the door leading to inside. 

Still holding her hand he whispered, “Okay when I tell you to, you’ll need to close your eyes.” 

“Seriously Justin, if this is some sort of prank… I don’t think I need to remind you what’ll happen.” She warned as they started for the door. 

“Though I’m sure it would be amusing and deserved,” he said with a chuckle and shrugged, “pranks aren’t really my thing.” 

“Good. I’m too tired to think right now,” she yawned as he pulled open the door. 

They both welcomed the warmth as the door shut behind them. He guided them down the stairs while making sure to not let go of her hand. Pausing at the door, he looked at her, and she pursed her lips. He mimicked her expression before she huffed. 

“Oh, _fine_.” She closed her eyes as he reached for the door handle. 

Her free hand shot up, and he reached out with his other hand to help guide her. They walked down a hallway and into the second door on the left. Using the dim glow from the lights in the building, he led them both to the center of the room. 

With one last look upon her face, he whispered. “Okay, you can look now Alex.”

Chocolate met his gaze, and he dropped one of her hands to instinctively brush a bit of hair behind her ear. The feeling in his gut returned after he realized what he’d done. Taking a step back, he let go of her other hand and allowed her to take in their surroundings. 

The room was small, with a singular window that looked down upon the city. There were strands of holiday lights uniformly draped across the ceiling, just enough to illuminate the room. His heart warmed as she smiled at the sight of an easel and stool that sat before the window. 

There were blank canvases resting against the wall beside a gently used couch. On the other side of the room was a desk with a new paint set and brushes. Her eyes flickered around the room. 

“ _Justin?_ ” Her voice was soft yet heavy. 

She looked at him with wide eyes and with his signature smile, he uttered, “Happy Birthday, Alex.” 

“I don’t-.” she shook her head as he walked towards her. “Is this like a rented space for artists?” 

Justin nodded, “Yeah, I put in an application for you a bit ago. You were accepted just last week.” 

“But how?” she spoke while he tilted his head and looked into her eyes. “Most places don’t let you in without seeing your work.”

“I submitted some of your old paintings you left back at home.” He glanced around the room and then back to her.

“What about rent and-” she pressed her hand to her cheek while he shook his head. 

“Hey,” he whispered to her, and she looked at him. “It’s all taken care of. The room is only a hundred-fifty a month, and I was able to convince the landlord to wave the first three months rent.”

“And what, they agreed?” 

“There was a small fee, but yeah.”Justin nodded while giving her a small lopsided smile. 

He’d only seen glimpses of the look she was giving him. It sent a shiver through his body. Without another word, she made her way towards him. Justin barely had time to lift his arms before she slipped into his embrace. 

The sudden force behind her hug caused him to take a step backwards. As he found his footing, he allowed himself to relax. He closed his eyes and etched the moment into his memories. 

This, right here, was everything. 

“Thank you.” Her words were mumbled against his chest as she buried her face into him. 

Still holding her he pulled back and used his fingers to brush the stray hairs from her face. “You’re welcome… Alex.” 

With a slight curl at the corner of her lips he felt her exhale shakily in his arms. 

“I also wanted to apologize.” He spoke softly and continued to hold her in his arms. 

“Apologize?” she asked with furrowed brows.

“I’ve been different this past year and I haven’t really been there… for you.” He felt his eyes start to burn and his throat felt tight. “I'm sorry... I haven’t been a good brother lately.” 

The word felt like bile, and he hoped it was enough to mask his thoughts.

“Justin,” her voice was small and pulled his attention. 

She paused like she wanted to say something, but stopped herself. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she closed her eyes. 

“Don’t say that. You’re always there for me, when I need you,” she said softly, “Remember?”

Instantly brought back to their moment by the campfire, he sighed. The guilt of his thoughts ebbed in his mind causing him to pull away from her. He nodded, knowing he needed to leave before he did something rash. 

“I remember…” he reached out his hand and watched her fingers slip between his. “But it doesn’t change-”

“No,” she cut him off, “we _both_ could do better.”

He let her have the final word as he brushed his thumb against the outside of hers. “We should get you home.”

“Me?” she snorted. “I’m not the one living with mom and dad.”

Rolling his eyes he reached for his wand while looking at their intertwined fingers. Then he paused on her little tattoo that sat near the cuff of her sleeve. Every time he saw it, the tight feeling in his chest returned. Shaking it off, he whirled his wand without another word.

* * *

_  
February 2012_

It was a Friday night and Justin was trying to get in some early studying for a test. He sat at his desk in his room with his pen in hand while he made notes about key points. A sudden crackling sound caused him to jump and made him accidentally draw a line across the page. 

With a groan Justin turned his attention towards the source only to find Alex smiling. 

“ _Really_ Alex,” he huffed and dropped his pen. “There are better ways to show up. Ones that don’t involve sudden movements or sounds.”

She laughed and shook her head. “Oh _please_ , if I politely knocked on your door you would’ve had the same reaction.” 

Pursing his lips he reluctantly nodded. “Fair point.” 

“I probably know the answer, because you’re, well _you_ ,” she paused with a shrug, “but are you seriously doing homework on a Friday night?” 

“Studying. And it’s called being proactive.” He lifted his brows and shrugged. 

“Okay, you’re coming with me.” She shook her head and reached out her hand. 

His brows knitted together at her sudden request, he stood up searching her expression. “Where?” 

“Oh will you _just_ ,” she huffed and quickly grabbed his hand, “Come on.”

With a tight smile she whirled her wand as they left his room. Magic buzzed inside him as they landed in an empty alleyway. With a light shiver from the abrupt cool air he looked at her. 

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” he asked and she just smiled. 

“To get food. _Duh_ ,” she scoffed and pulled him by his wrist out of the alleyway.

They made it to the sidewalk, and she adjusted their hands by slipping her fingers between his. The small change made his stomach feel tight and heart race. 

_It’s just holding hands,_ he thought to himself as they walked around the corner into a restaurant. He couldn’t help but grin when he realized what kind of restaurant it was. 

“Burgers and shakes?” He lifted an amused right brow. 

“Absolutely.” She just smiled back as they made their way to the front to be seated. 

“Table for two?” A woman asked and he nodded. 

_It’s not a date,_ he mentally told himself.

Justin was thankful that it was past the normal dinner rush. After the waitress grabbed the menus, she led them to a small dimly lit corner table. Letting go of Alex’s hand to sit down, he looked at her across the table. The uneasy feeling returned when she stared at him. 

“What?” He asked and shrugged off his jacket. 

“Nothing. Just thinking.” She looked away from him and he exhaled slowly. 

The waitress came over to them, and before Alex could speak Justin held up a finger. 

“Ready to order?” She asked the two of them.

“Yes, we are. She’ll have a medium cooked bacon cheeseburger with curly fries inside the bun. And a chocolate milkshake with whipped cream at the bottom.” He paused and lowered his hand. “For myself, may I get a cheeseburger that’s well done with the pickles on the side? Oh, and a glass of lemonade to drink.” 

“You got it. Anything else?” The woman asked.

Justin turned to look at Alex only to meet her melted stare. He noticed a glint in her eyes along with a smile that spilled across her features. At that moment, he felt a warmth in his chest. He didn’t admit the words often, but dammit, he loved her.

Alex continued to grin while shaking her head no. He handed the waitress their menus and thanked her. The moment the woman left, he found Alex still smiling softly. 

“What?” He asked as she tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned forward a little. 

“Just surprised you knew my order.” She shrugged and took a sip of water. “You even knew that I enjoy whipped cream at the bottom of my shakes.”

“Well yeah, that’s something you’ve always done.”

She nodded, “You’d be surprised. None of the guys I’ve dated knew what food I like or if they did, they’d suggest I eat ‘healthier’.”

“Well,” he paused, searching for her eyes. “Their loss.”

Justin paused momentarily when he realized what he’d said. He hoped the fact he ordered for her didn’t make her feel weird. Noticing the small curl of her lips, he allowed himself to relax and continue joking.

“Besides, you do have a rather unique taste in food.” He squinted and pursed his lips. “I mean _pickles_?” 

Her smile grew, and he could’ve sworn she was blushing. “Whatever.” 

When their food came, Justin allowed himself to relax. It felt as natural as breathing to eat dinner with her. Without saying anything, he slipped the pickles from his plate on to hers as they talked. He talked about school and she talked about her art.

After they finished eating, he used his wand to teleport them outside her apartment door. Just when he was about to say goodnight, she spoke. 

“Harper’s gone away to her parents again,” he looked at her as she fidgeted where she stood. “Do you want to come in? We could watch a movie or something.”

He found himself momentarily speechless. _Was it a dream?_

Knowing he needed to answer, he smiled and nodded. “Sure.” 

He followed her inside and shut the door behind them. The nervous feeling lingered in his chest as she took off her boots and jacket. He slipped off his shoes by the front door as she went to her dresser. 

“I’m going to change real quick. The movies are on the shelf under the TV,” she said and went into the bathroom.

Justin exhaled sharply as he took off his jacket. Then he walked over to the movies. 

_There’s nothing wrong with watching a movie_ , he told himself as he skimmed the titles. 

He didn’t care what they watched. Especially when most of the movies were of the horror genre. The sound of the door clicking pulled his attention followed by her turning off the bathroom light. He noticed she was wearing a deep purple tank top and black shorts. She looked beautiful. 

“Oh uh… I may have stolen a pair of your sweats on accident.” She nodded and went to her dresser again. “If you wanted to wear something more comfortable.” 

“Why is it that I find the word ‘accident’ hard to believe?” he chuckled in amusement as he walked towards her. 

He grinned at her when she rolled her eyes and handed him the black pair of sweats. Making his way to the restroom he tossed a brief look over his shoulder before shutting the door. He considered himself lucky that he was wearing a plain white t-shirt today and not a button down.

He exited the restroom after changing only to come out into the dimly lit apartment. The feeling returned as he made his way to the left side of her bed while she curled outwards on the right side. 

“Hope you’re okay with cartoons,” she mumbled as he sat down. 

“That works,” he said with a little yawn. 

Justin noted that her back was to him while her body was positioned so that she was facing the TV. In order to see the show, he turned onto his side and adjusted one of the pillows. He tried to focus on whatever was playing, but couldn’t. All he could think about was how he was laying in bed next to her.

The screen went dark for a moment, and there was a slight shuffling sound followed by her yawning again. Right before the screen had time to change, a sudden warmth ghosted in front of him. That’s when he noticed how little the space was left between them. His breathing picked up as he looked down at her. The blanket rested just below her hip. Even in the dim lighting he could make out the curves and dips of her body. 

Turning his attention back towards the TV, he exhaled softly. He tried not to think of how all he had to do was reach out and pull her into his arms. 

A few more minutes passed and there was another shuffling sound as the dim light of the TV flickered. Then he froze.

She hummed softly as she adjusted against him. It had to be a dream. The other explanations he could come up with was that she was asleep or it was accidental. He waited for her to pull away, but she remained still. When she laughed at the show, he started to relax a little. 

Then he looked down at her, the faint scent of vanilla invaded his senses. He could see her eyes were wide and focused. 

_So it hadn’t been an accident?_ He thought with a curious crook of his left eyebrow.

Then he lifted his left hand and gently placed it upon her exposed hip. She inhaled softly and he waited for her to pull away, but she didn’t. Maybe he was high off of the feeling of her touch, but he felt bold.

Justin then slipped his other arm under her as he pulled her into his arms and slightly onto his right hip. The feeling thrummed from head to toe as she pressed against him. He waited for her to pull away or even to say something. But she didn’t. 

After a moment or two, he felt her relaxing in his arms. If this was all he ever could do with her, he would accept it graciously. As the TV continued to flicker, he relaxed and moved his hand down her side. Then he paused the second his pinky came in contact with an exposed strip of skin. 

Relishing the feeling, Justin allowed himself to take it a step further. He started to trace circles with the tip of his finger, feeling her sigh shakily against his chest. 

As he did this, realization hit him. They’d crossed a line and blurred the boundaries. It was unspoken, and he knew there was no way she didn’t realize. However, at that moment, he couldn’t find it in himself to care.   
  


* * *

_  
May 2012_

Alex was no longer avoiding him. She’d show up randomly, and they would usually go eat food. Sometimes they did other things together. Like how he took her to see an art exhibit after dinner one night. Seeing her at least twice a week became a part of their routine. 

He loved spending time with her, but he did have a favorite activity they did together. It was the nights Harper went to her parents house. They always ended up watching movies on her bed while he got to lay next to her and sometimes even hold her. 

He’d told himself it wasn’t dating. Not that his body seemed to know the difference. 

As a result, Justin found that all of his showers were on the colder side these days. The feeling of her body pressed into his refused to leave him alone.

Sure he’d had suggestive thoughts and dreams about her before, but these past few days were different. Probably because last weekend instead of laying beside her they ended up spooning with his arms wrapped around her waist. Which wouldn’t have been an issue if she’d remained still.

That night Justin had to excuse himself to the restroom. He’d managed to think of some unattractive thoughts, but the feeling refused to leave all week. He couldn’t forget the soft swell of her ass resting against him. 

Justin bit back a groan as he stood in the shower. Pressing the palm of his left hand against the shower tile he closed his eyes. With his hard member in his right hand, he stroked himself. The water was lukewarm at best, but he didn’t even care. 

He imagined her standing in front of him as if she were with him in the shower. Hair damp and beads of water upon her skin. A sensual smile. Soft giggles echoing off the shower walls. He imagined his hand was hers. His breathing increased as he rested his forehead against the wall. 

_‘You like it when I touch you, don’t you_ **_Justin_ ** _?’_

He exhaled through clenched teeth as he thought about her saying those words to him. With a tightness in his abdomen he groaned her name under his breath. 

“ _Alex..._ ,” he breathed and tightened his hold. “Fuck.” 

_‘That’s right. I know you dream about fucking me.’_

His member twitched at the thought.

_‘Huh, Justin?’_

He attempted to swallow the thick feeling in his throat and nodded as if she could see him. Then he imagined her lifting her eyebrow and smirking. 

With a shudder, Justin moaned her name again and felt the warmth of his seed in his hand. He took a moment to feel the aftershocks of his orgasm. Without opening his eyes let go of his hold on his member and lifted his hand under the running water. 

He knew he was going to hell. He’d accepted it. The question was: what now?

* * *

  
_July 2012_

It was their parents' twenty-third wedding anniversary. 

Over the few days he helped plan a small family gathering. With his dad’s help he managed to invite people from his mom’s side of the family. Including her brother Ernesto. Everything was going according to plan.

That was until Alex showed up. Initially Justin planned to lecture her about the importance of showing up on time. However, the moment he saw her he forgot everything. Her hair was down in loose curls across her shoulders. The strapless soft purple dress hugged her figure. He had to blink a few times to bring himself back to the moment as she walked toward him. 

“Finally,” he whispered as he reached for her and guided them into the kitchen. 

“Sorry, I misplaced the card.” She huffed and Justin was about to say something, but was interrupted by their brother.

“Great, I’m signing first.” Max stepped towards them out of nowhere. 

Max’s gaze paused looking at Justin holding her wrist. He realized what he was doing and immediately released her hand. There was no need to draw any additional attention, so he stepped away. 

Maybe putting some distance between them would be good.

“Fine, I need to go help dad anyways. Alex, can you sign my name too?” Justin asked, looking at her. 

She nodded, and he could see a hint of guilt in her expression. While Max started to sign the card Justin turned to leave, but stopped when she grabbed him. Turning to look at her he realized she felt upset about something. He shook his head as if to let her know it wasn’t a big deal that she was late. Then she relaxed her hold on him with a nod and let go. 

With one last lopsided smile, he made his way down the spiral staircase to go help set up downstairs.

Throughout the evening, Justin found himself looking around the Sub Station only to catch Alex already looking at him. It had been a while since he felt guilty about her, but this time felt different. It felt more like embarrassment. He internally knew that it was probably because he’d given into his thoughts so willingly as of late.

He gave her an amused smile that she returned sheepishly before looking away. Something about her was different today, but he couldn’t place what it was. He took a sip of his water and watched their mom and dad moving towards the gift table. 

“Could we have everybody’s attention?” His mom called out and the volume of the room lessened. “To start off we wanted to thank our children for making this anniversary so memorable.” 

“Your mother's right. Seriously guys, thank you.” He saw his dad's momentary smile of appreciation.

Justin returned the smile and lifted his hand in acknowledgment. 

“Really, it’s been wonderful. And a big thank you to everyone. For the cards, gifts and for being here for us.” His mom said with a laugh.

“And we both agreed, it was only fitting that we start by opening the card from Justin, Alex, and Max.” His dad lifted the white envelope to show the family as the room clapped before handing it to Theresa.

Justin was standing close to them off to their left as his mom pulled at the lip of the envelope. She smiled as she read the card out loud. Then she turned around the card to show everyone. Starting from their right and slowly moving to the left. 

That’s when Justin saw it.

He set his water down and used the chair beside him to steady himself. Blinking a few times to make sure he was seeing correctly. He swallowed thickly. Reaching up with his right hand he rubbed his mouth, his breathing picking up. 

_It can’t be,_ he felt unsteady. 

He took a step closer still holding onto the chair as his mom stood the card up upon the table for everyone to see. But no matter how many times he blinked, it didn’t change what he saw. It was his first name written in familiar cursive. 

Then he looked around the room until he found her laughing with Harper, standing in the back of the room near the register. She looked around the room and found his eyes causing her expression to fall. Justin looked away and slowly sank into the seat he was holding onto. 

He knew he had to be sure before he confronted her. Which meant he needed to calmly take a deep breath and wait. Which he did for the rest of the evening. 

After waiting for a few hours, Justin found himself with mixed emotions. He still hadn’t been able to get another look at the card and Alex kept giving him concerned looks. 

“Justin, help your mother by collecting all the cards,” his dad said as he nodded. “You know how she is. She’s gonna wanna keep ‘em.”

“Sure thing,” he said and made his way over to the gift table. 

He paused with slight hesitation while looking down at the card. The heavy feeling in his gut returned as he picked up the card. Looking around the room, he folded it and slipped it into his jacket pocket. 

He stacked the rest of the cards and walked towards the stairs. Before he could take another step, he felt a tug at the bend of his elbow. Looking to his right, he saw her furrowed brows and wide eyes.

“Justin,” she whispered his name, and before he could respond he saw Max walking towards them. 

Justin shook his head and whispered, “Not here. Tonight at your studio.” 

Then turned away from her to go upstairs.

* * *

_  
Four Hours Later_

Justin clenched his right fist momentarily and watched his parents climb the stairs for bed. His left hand twisted his wand between his fingers as he leaned against the kitchen island. When they disappeared he quickly twirled his wand and teleported.

The room was different from what he remembered. There were more lights, some that were colorful and her paint collection expanded across most of the desk. Justin slipped his wand into his jacket packet and walked towards the canvas upon the easel. 

He lifted his fingers and traced the lines of colors. Following the shape he realized it was a woman as he paused at the lips. It looked like her lips. Like it was the start of a self-portrait. 

“You know,” her voice interrupted the silence making him almost knock her painting off its stand, “ _most_ artists don’t appreciate people looking at their art before it’s finished.” 

Justin turned around as she set her wand onto the desk beside her. He inhaled softly as he looked her over. Her loose dark curls fell across her shoulders as she crossed her arms. 

“Sorry,” he said and found himself at a loss. 

“I don’t mind,” she paused and shrugged. “ _So…_ you gonna explain what happened tonight or am I gonna have to guess what you’re thinking?” 

The tight feeling returned in his chest as he walked towards her. He pursed his lips and paused within arms reach as she leaned against the desk. There was something different in the way she held herself, and he wished he knew what she was thinking. He knew he could listen, but promised himself he would never do that to her. 

“I-“ he looked down and huffed. 

He raised his right hand and rubbed the back of his neck. Without saying anything, he reached out and gently pulled her left hand from its crossed position. The card in his pocket suddenly felt heavy as he relaxed under their touch. 

“Be honest with me, Alex,” he whispered looking into her eyes. 

“About?” She licked her lips and knitted her brows. 

“About your tattoo and what it means.” He swallowed and pulled the card out. “Is it a half note like you told me… or does it have another meaning?”

She pulled her hand away. Instantly he could see by the raise in her chest there was something she wasn’t saying. He didn’t want to make assumptions, so he waited. Handing her the card as she took a deep breath, he pursed his lips. 

“I don’t-“ she started to talk and turned away from him. 

Justin could tell by the slump in her shoulders, she was holding on to something. It was as if he could actually feel the weight she felt. She opened the card and sighed before dropping it on the desk. When she did that he took a step closer and brushed his fingers against her elbow.

“Alex,” his voice was soft. 

She turned slowly to face him and looked down as he trailed his fingers along her left arm. Then he stopped at the tattoo on her wrist. Gently he turned her hand towards him in order to get a better look. The tattoo had slightly faded since he last saw it, but it looked the same. 

Justin inhaled deeply as they stood in her dimly lit studio. He wasn’t quite sure how he hadn’t seen it before. Now it was the only thing he could. 

“You’re not wrong, Justin,” Alex whispered, her voice heavy. “It isn’t _just_ a music note.”

Using his right hand, he gently guided her wrist towards him. Alex remained still while he lifted his fingers to trace the design. The sound of their breathing punctured the silence. Her eyes searching for his as she parted her lips ever so slightly.

 _Fuck_ , he thought and slightly shook his head. Justin craved her touch, her smile, her laugh… she was everything he wanted. 

He’d dreamed of a moment similar to this, but never even considered it actually happening.

Without looking away from her gaze, he brought her wrist upwards. Pressing his lips against the painted script on her skin, he sighed and savored the way she shivered.

“It’s a J,” he murmured softly and noticed the glossy sheen to her eyes. “Like the way you wrote my name in the card. Isn’t it?”

She nodded slowly, and his heart thudded in his chest. Justin normally calculates his movements and the things he says, but in that second he didn’t want to. 

He dropped her wrist and placed his hand on her hip while pulling her towards him. Slipping his other hand along her cheek, he wet his lips. At that moment, he didn’t care that she was his sister. 

He took two steps forward, listening to the clattering sound of the desk he gently backed her into. Her short breaths spilled across his face, making him shiver. 

Justin hesitated for a moment as he soaked in the feeling. Then, before he even had the chance to move, she pressed her lips against his. Her lips were soft and tentative. He welcomed the feeling as he tilted her head backwards and opened his mouth against hers. He brushed his tongue against hers as she parted her lips. 

As much as he wanted to keep kissing her, he needed to know what she was thinking. He pulled back to look at her. Her lips were pouted and slightly more pink while her cheeks were flushed. She really was beautiful. 

“Is this okay?” He whispered to her while drinking in her melted gaze. “Kissing you?”

His stomach did flips as he said the words. He’d kissed her, and it wasn’t a dream this time. The second she nodded with a small smile on her lips, he relaxed. 

“Justin… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she spoke softly while maintaining eye contact. “The tattoo really is a half note. Just kind of left out the other part.” 

“No,” he shook his head and rested his forehead against hers. “Don’t apologize. I understand why you didn’t. You should only do something if it feels right, Alex.” 

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she nodded. 

“In that case, kissing you,” her voice was small, “feels right.”

Justin couldn’t stop himself from mirroring her expression because of her words. 

“Yeah?” He asked with a bright small on his face. He leaned in closer, brushing his lips against hers again.

“Yeah.” She said with a smile.

Justin looked from her eyes to her lips. Her hand against his chest, before she found his tie. With a soft pull, she captured his lips once more. The sway in her movements felt shorter and with a purpose. 

That’s when he felt her suckle his bottom lip between her teeth, biting down. He groaned and in response dug his fingers into her hip. When she released his lip, he removed his hand from her cheek and placed it on her other hip.

With a sharp gasp, she pulled her lips from his while he continued to follow the curve of her jaw down her neck. She whimpered under his touch as he suckled and nipped at her skin. Every place he could brush his lips against, he did.

Pulling back, he opened his eyes to see her expression had shifted. There was something about the look in her eyes that made him inhale shakily. With her hand still on his tie, she visibly shivered even though her skin was warm to the touch. 

Without saying anything, she crooked her brow. Then with her left hand she pulled one of his hands up against her body. With his brows knitted in confusion, he swallowed thickly until she placed his hand against her breast. Immediately a wave of desire hit him as he felt her under the palm of his hand. 

“Are-,” he paused, “Are you sure?” 

“Yes,” she nodded, and he could see the vulnerability in her eyes. “I’m sure.”

Alex shakily pulled at the buttons on his dress shirt before she tugged at his tie. 

Shrugging off his shirt, he quickly tilted her chin and met her lips. Justin needed to feel more of her. He wondered if she could also taste the desperation in their kiss. She swayed in an uncoordinated mess of tension against his mouth. 

He made mental notes about each sound as they happened. The soft squeak of a zipper followed by the shuffling fabric of her dress. Then to the clinking metal of his belt as they stumbled across the room. 

Momentarily they parted as he grabbed her at the hips and turned her towards the couch. She tossed her bra beside them and slipped her panties down her legs. He kicked off his slacks and boxer brief, leaving them both completely exposed.

Justin pulled her flush against him as he found her lips once again. When she moaned into his mouth, he reached up and cupped her right breast. The heat of her naked skin caused him to groan as he guided her beneath him onto the couch. His hands mirrored hers as she trailed her hands against his torso. 

Breaking the kiss, he looked at the trail of clothing beside them. Using his knees, he pushed himself to sit up as he grabbed his pants. He pulled out his wallet and grabbed a condom from the second flap. Before he could set his wallet down she took the little packet out of his hand and sat up in front of him.

“Here, let me,” she whispered softly, and he nodded. 

Closing his eyes, he sighed as she rolled the rubber onto his hard member. The soft brushes of her fingers against him made him bite his lip to suppress a groan. Justin used the back of the couch as support when they moved to a comfortable position. 

He lifted his head to look at her before she allowed him to settle between her legs. Even with the condom, he felt her warmth making his abdomen tighten in anticipation. 

“I’ve wanted this for so long Alex…” he breathed, “I know I already asked, but I need to be sure.”

Reaching up, he brushed stray hair from her face. Her brown eyes met his as she pulled him towards her with her hand on his neck. 

“Justin,” she sighed, “You’re the one person I trust more than anything. You know me, and trust me when I say… I want _you_.”

Taking a deep breath, he reached between them. Guiding himself, he gently rubbed the tip of his member against her wet heat. Justin continued to look in her eyes, and with her help, angled himself against her entrance.

“ _Fff-”_ Justin bit his lip to stop himself from cursing.

Her warmth enveloped him. Justin lowered his head into the crook of her neck as he pushed inside her. He groaned at the tight heat while she whimpered in his ear. Alex quickly grabbed his bicep with a gasp and wiggled her hips. 

_Too fucking good to be a dream,_ he thought and swallowed.

They both remained still as he allowed her a moment to adjust. The feeling of pleasure vibrated from his head to his toes. 

“Justin,” she whispered between her short breaths. 

“Alex,” he breathed her name in response and he pulled back a little to look at her.

He wanted to remember everything about this moment. The way her lips parted and the flush of her cheeks. The desire in her eyes and how damn good it felt to be inside her. Resting his forehead against hers, he sighed.

She leaned closer and murmured against his lips “I’m good… you can move now.”

With half lidded eyes drunk on desire, Justin nodded and pulled his hips back. He slowly thrust his hips forward feeling himself sinking into her warmth with a grunt as she moaned. 

“ _Fuck_. You feel good, Alex.” He said, wanting her to know the effect she had on him.

Justin repeated his action and let his mouth trail kisses everywhere he could. The heat inside him increased as he trailed his tongue from her collarbone to her right breast. Alex wrapped her legs around him as he lapped at her nipple. Using his teeth, he gently grazed her skin. 

“Could say the same… about you, _Justin._ ” She moaned his name, rocking her hips softly.

His thrusts were even and steady. Suddenly, she dragged her nails down his back eliciting a sharp groan from him. He stilled himself, and quickly lifted his head. From her amused expression, he knew she enjoyed his reaction. 

After a moment, he adjusted their position and pulled her left leg higher on his hip. The new depth caused her to gasp and arch her back. Her movements and sounds were delicious. 

“ _Fuck_ , Justin… do that again,” she hissed, sharply exhaling.

Justin couldn’t help the small curl of his mouth. He fell into a deep, quick rhythm. 

“You like that?” He asked, his breathing choppy. 

“Mmm-“ unable to say anything, she nodded, and closed her eyes.

Justin momentarily paused his thrusts and remained inside her. She whimpered at the loss of movement. Before she could speak, he grabbed her side and helped her maintain an arched position. She lifted her hips forward and gasped when he started slowly grinding into her. From the expression on her face, he could see that she craved the delicious friction.

“You’re so beautiful.” He breathed and kissed her chin. 

Following the curves of her skin with his hand, he stopped when she proceeded to grab his wrist. He looked at her as she opened her eyes and guided his hand to her neck. 

“ _Justin_...” she whimpered with a nod.

He took a deep breath when he saw the vulnerability in her eyes. The sheer amount of trust she had in him caused him to pause. He clenched his jaw when she bit down on her bottom lip. Exhaling shakily, he felt her swallow under his fingers. There was a glint in her eyes that made him shiver. 

Using his thumb, he applied slight pressure on her throat. Instinctively, she grabbed his forearm with a gasp, and began to relax beneath him. Slowly, he pulled his hips backwards, and resumed thrusting inside her.

“ _Fuck_ Alex,” he growled then quickly licked his lips. 

The pleasure thrummed in his veins as he dipped forward and kissed her. She hummed into his mouth while her grip on his arm tightened. He trailed his hand from her side, down to her thigh. 

Justin sighed against her lips as her thighs began to quiver against his hips. The sounds of their breathing, the couch squeaking loudly, and their skin slapping filled the heated air. He was close, but not quite there. 

Suddenly she stopped moving her lips against his, and gasped. Arching her back, she pressed her chest flush against him with a stifled moan. She fluttered around his member while he stuttered to keep his set pace. 

_Fuck…_ he gasped, breaking their kiss. The feeling of her orgasm sent a wave of pleasure throughout his body. 

The heels of her feet pressed into his back while he kept thrusting. He focused on the bubbling heat as she found his lips again. With a groan he tightened his hold on her neck as she caught his bottom lip between her teeth. After a moment, she pulled his body closer. 

He noted the dazed mischievous squint as she released his lip. With a hum, she spoke breathy words of encouragement.

“ _Fuck_ me, Justin,” her voice sent another wave of heat to his gut, “ _Yes_. Just like that.”

“ _Alex_ ,” he ground his teeth as he said her name.

He was close. Not wanting to leave her behind, he slipped a hand between their legs. He knew it wouldn’t take much to send her over the edge a second time. Using two fingers, he dipped into her wetness. 

She gasped when he found her already sensitive clit, “ _J-_ “

After a few strokes, a pent up rush of heat spilled throughout his body. He stilled himself deep inside her; the pleasure pulsated in his gut as she dug her nails into his skin. 

At that moment, he knew there was nowhere else he would have wanted to be. 

After catching his breath, he looked at her while their bodies were sticky with sweat. The high still vibrated throughout his body and in his haze he found himself smiling at her.

Justin proceeded to pull out with her help and discarded the used condom in a bin above the couch. He guided her to his side as they found a comfortable position with her in his arms. Looking down at her resting her cheek upon his chest, he smiled. 

“If I’d known how this would feel, I would’ve told you sooner...” she hummed and patted his chest while he chuckled. 

Justin relaxed with a sigh, he could see the slight flush of her cheeks. 

“I don’t say this as often as I should.” With a pause she exhaled softly, “ _But_ … I love you, Justin.”

Justin reached over and softly grabbed her left hand. Then he turned her wrist towards him and gently pressed his lips against the tattoo. Nodding his head he let go of her hand. 

“I love you too, Alex.”

* * *

_  
Morning_

Justin held two coffees and a pastry bag in hand as he climbed the stairs. Glancing down at his watch, he read it was just past seven in the morning. There was a new bounce in his step as he walked past someone carrying a sculpture. 

_She loves me_ , he found himself smiling at the thought. 

Then he softly turned the handle and opened the door. She was still sleeping on the couch with the throw blanket only covering her lower half and her long curls draped across her back.

Before he’d left he magically cleaned up the room and put on a fresh pair of clothing. On the stool beside her lay a fresh change of clothes. He wasn’t surprised she was still asleep though. 

Then she shifted and stretched her legs. 

“Do I smell cake?” Her voice was groggy and he chuckled. 

“Mhm, and coffee.” She held the blanket against her as she sat up. “ _With_ extra cream and sugar.” 

The smile that reached her eyes said it all as he handed them to her. Moving her clothing onto the couch beside her, he sat on the stool. Alex pulled the oversized t-shirt on and ruffled her hair just a little. 

Justin watched her as she took bites of her cake while he sipped on his coffee. He wasn’t sure how he’d gotten so lucky that his feelings were reciprocated, but here they are. 

“Not to put a damper on your breakfast,” he paused as she took a sip of her coffee, “but we should talk.”

“Mm, no,” she sighed and shook her head. “Talking before I finish my morning coffee never goes well.” 

“Alex,” he said her name and she rolled her eyes. 

“Ugh, _okay_ ,” she huffed and looked at him.

“There’s a lot to discuss Alex. Starting with the fact that we slept together.” He felt soft inside as he said the word and watched her nod slowly. “And considering that’s an extremely emotional thing for any two people to do, I wanted to see how you were feeling.” 

“A little sore, but overall good,” she smirked as Justin's face started to burn. 

“I uh-“ he cleared his throat and Alex laughed. “That’s not what…”

“I know.” She spoke softly, and he swore he could see a tint of color in her cheeks. “I don’t regret having sex with you Justin. I mean, if that’s what you’re asking.”

With a nod, Justin took a sip of his coffee while trying to brush off his embarrassment. 

He ran his fingers through his hair and said, “I don’t regret it either.” 

Alex met his gaze while he gave her a lopsided smile. The slight pause in the air caused him to press his lips together in a tight line.

“Alright, my turn.” She set her coffee down without looking away from him. “I’m assuming your feelings didn’t just appear overnight. So, how long have you known?”

Justin sighed and swallowed his guilt. “Well, I stopped denying they existed over a year and a half ago. Maybe longer.” 

“Okay. But how long have you _known_?” She squinted at him, while he took another sip of coffee. 

He looked down and refused to meet her gaze, “Two months after Puerto Rico.”

“ _Mm_ , well that’s good to know,” she spoke evenly and paused. “I’m glad I wasn’t the only one feeling that way after everything that happened there.”

Immediately he looked up at her as she pursed her lips, and he swallowed thickly.

“You too?” he spoke softly and she nodded.

Alex tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she spoke, “Justin… I know that _this_ is supposed to feel wrong or whatever. And believe me, I’ve tried to forget-“

Justin shook his head.

“I don’t want you to try to forget Alex.” His throat tightened at the word. “Trust me. Forgetting things doesn’t make them any easier.” 

She blinked a few times as if she were contemplating her words carefully.

“That’s the thing,” she paused and slipped her feet off the couch. “I don’t want to forget that I feel this way. I wanna be with you Justin, even if it’s considered ‘ _wrong_ ’.” 

She stood up and walked past him. Setting down his coffee he followed her to the other side of the room. She paused at her paint desk and started mixing paint in a cup. As she did this, Justin slipped his arms around her and hugged her from behind. 

“I wanna be with you too,” he mumbled the words as he moved her hair off of her shoulder.

Alex hummed when he pressed his lips against her neck. Quickly she set down her paint cup and turned to face him. Without another word she pressed her lips against his and sighed. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth against hers. She tasted like coffee with a hint of cake mixed in. 

He helped her sit on the desk while he settled between her legs. She slid her hand up the length of his arm before pausing at his cheek.

Justin broke the kiss and took a deep breath. There was a cool and mildly damp sensation against his skin as he looked down upon her desk. It seemed that they’d managed to knock over her cup of paint. The colorful bright purple and blues pooling together. Looking back towards Alex who attempted to stop herself from giggling, he sighed. 

“I have paint on my face, don’t I?” He pursed his lips softly as she used the back of her hand to rub his cheek. 

“Sorry,” she giggled a little.

Shaking his head he causally dipped his fingers into the pool of paint. Justin then wiped it on her cheek as she gasped. He smiled and then quickly muted her response with a brief peck on her lips. 

When he leaned back her eyes opened and squinted at him. With a chuckle he looked her over and stopped at the tattoo. 

Her breathing stuttered and after a moment he spoke, “So, I know you’ve explained the meaning to me before. But how does the J fit in?” 

He listened to her hum softly as he lowered her hand. 

“Well as you know, the half note represents me and the flag crossing the note is there to show the note is incomplete.” She paused while Justin brushed the lines on her skin again with his thumb. “The J is the other half…” 

Blinking twice while still holding her wrist in his hand Justin looked up at her. 

“It was you who actually gave me the idea,” she shrugged. 

“Me?” He asked and lifted his eyebrows.

“Mhm. Remember when I moved into the apartment with Harper?” 

Justin nodded, “Yeah.”

“Well, when you told me I made _your_ life complete, I decided I wanted something that represents what you mean to me.” She paused for a moment. “And god help me this is cheesy… but, you’re like my other half Justin.”

Then without looking away from her eyes, Justin tucked her hair behind her ear. Using his hand he cupped her cheek and watched her eyes drift close. Brushing his thumb against her cheek Justin delicately captured her lips. 

The answer had been rather simple. It just took him a moment to catch up. 

He wasn’t certain about their future nor did they have a plan. But Justin knew for a fact he was unequivocally in love with her. He’d found his person. Alex Russo did in fact make his life complete. 

**_Fin_ **

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated! 💜
> 
> We do have a Jalex discord server, and Tumblr page (DysfunctionalJalexNet). If anyone is interested, please feel free to reach out!


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